


Fenris Age (Working Title)

by Mika (DatatheRoast)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:36:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6129292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DatatheRoast/pseuds/Mika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A recounting of the events of Dragon Age 2 (and a bit before them) from Fenris' perspective.<br/>-----<br/>Just after narrowly escaping Denarius in Seheron, Fenris flees to the overpopulated city of Kirkwall where he hopes to hide and build a quiet life doing what he's good at: manual labor. However, it takes a sharp turn for the worse when Anso, a member of his small, trusted network, warns him that slavers have tracked him to the city. Another turn in a different direction- one he can't quite decide whether or not he likes- when Hawke, a man with similar talents, helps him twice, then thrice when he pulls Fenris into his own life; and under his proverbial protective wing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run, Hide, Bait and Switch

**Author's Note:**

> I know I haven't been touching my other in-progress fic. I'm sorry. I just finished Inquisition so it should't take too terribly long for that to get under way again.
> 
> But a week and a half ago this came across my dashboard: http://araglas1989.tumblr.com/post/139604942507/i-wonder-how-different-da2-would-be-if-we-would
> 
> And here we are.
> 
> If you have any suggestions for a title for the fic, please shoot them my way. I'm bad at titles. Really awful.
> 
> Also this is a bit on the "wow Andy sure seems to have a lot of headcanons" side of things. And I do, and I'm sorry, because most of the ones for Fenris here are painful and I am a bad, bad man. But, they don't tend to stray from canon too much, I like to think, so- yeah. This might stray a bit from canon here and there, but I will definitely try my best to stay true to it while still keeping this mess interesting.

Fenris didn’t know where he was going to stop now. He wanted to go as far south as possible, as far from Seheron and Minrathous and  _ Denarius _ as possible, but with news of the Blight reaching him… No, he could not risk it. No matter how well it might deter his master from coming after him. Potentially, he could become a Warden, but… No, the Joining… He would be a Warden for life or likely die. He wanted to lie his own life, and that was not going to happen with the Wardens. What he needed was a big city where he could at least have a chance of getting lost in the crowd that was far south, but out of the Blight’s reach.

The elf asked around for a map, and eventually set his eyes on one. Kirkwall… Full of refugees, or so the rumors said. The City of Chains wasn’t exactly appealing, but… It was something. Worst comes to worst, he can just… Break into Danarius’ mansion and wait for his master to come for him, and kill him there. Or he could join the city Guard, or do mercenary work and just get a place in lowtown. There were possibilities, and a lot of people to hide among. It was settled, he’d head for Kirkwall and see how well it went. He wouldn’t stay if he was recognised or he couldn’t find enough work to sustain himself, or he stuck out too much in the masses.

So he bought his supplies and set out, aiming for the mountains he could see on the horizon. His feet were somewhat unsteady still- several days on a ship could do that when one was used to being on land. It didn’t take too long for him to get his bearings, though, and day by day the peaks grew closer, and eventually he was navigating the foothills around them. South- go south and don’t look back. Look forward and think about how he’s going to survive on his own. He was free now- or at least as close to free as he could get without… He shook his head and growled at himself under his breath. He couldn’t afford to dwell on that right now. How was he going to settle, and yet also not, in Kirkwall? The city was overcrowded as it was, there was not room for him where he would likely be able to afford it. He’d have to replace his armor- it made him too noticeable but… That was expensive, and he  _ liked _ this armor. The Fog Warrior  had given him this armor. He could at least afford them the respect and honor of keeping it. He owed them at least that much for turning on the the moment his master said playtime was over.

He could also repay them by being free and  _ staying _ that way. And he would. He had to. He would not go back to that life, he was a  _ person _ now, not property, a bodyguard, a  _ weapon _ to conduct his master’s whims. Not a prize or a pet or a trophy to be ogled at. No more.

That was what he thought when he reached Kirkwall, anyway. As he built a small, tight network to help him hide, doing mercenary work and sleeping in a new place on the ground, wrapped up in a cloak practically hugging his greatsword and using his folded belt as a pillow for all the pouches it had. He did not have a lot, and he could not find a place to pay for, for he could surely outpay just about anyone living in the slums with the pay he got from just about working himself raw day by day, but he hadn’t the heart for it at all. He could not evict a family of their meager belongings and security for his own comfort- the cobblestones and stench weren’t any worse than lying in Danarius’ lavish bed after their  _ evenings _ .

And then Anso gives him grim news. Narby his usual alcove in the alienage, slavers had set up a den in one of the houses, capturing the small family living there and having already shipped them off to Tevinter. Apparently, they’d been sent after him. Danarius knew he was here, and there were men in his mansion too- possibly even the magister himself, or his apprentice. Terror and anger rose from the bottom of Fenris’ gut and into his throat and he was certain for a moment that he would be sick. The dwarf explained he had a plan- part of one, at least- and that they may be able to find out where Danarius was and how much he knew if they could get into the Slaver’s den and get their hands on the orders they were addressed. But they’d need help, and Anso didn’t know who to go to. There were rumors of someone named Hawke, someone who’d worked with Meeran- someone they both knew and… Conducted business with from time to time. 

This Hawke character had recently left his employ, but he would easily be able to get a hold of them and send them their way. Before that, though, Fenris didn’t want a complete stranger powerful enough to fell or subterfuge a slaver’s den knowing his personal life. Not when they could turn on him at any time. He would reveal himself from where he would watch from atop one of the hovels if the need or want arose. If they proved to be trustworthy, he may add them to his network.

So Anso played the jumpy, clumsy merchant- not that that was terribly far off from his character- and convinced them, as well as the three others with them, to help him “get his merchandise back for a pretty penny”.Fenris followed them to the Alienage along the line of rooftops and watched and waited as they went inside. Hawke, as it turned out, was a man. Tall and broad with a mouth to run from what the elf had seen of his conversation with Anso.

Slavers flanked the door, coming from the rest of Lowtown, and Fenris saw from his perch as more gathered as backup and even a large team separate from the main force by the door to… Capture him. Or, who was supposed to be him right now. Fenris was suddenly more than glad to have someone else be in there right now. He could take care of the large team just around the bend if he was careful. He was also somewhat relieved Hawke had three other people with him, because this was… A lot of slavers, and Fenris would rather a stranger not die of be enslaved while unknowingly doing his dirty work.

Well, at least he could help. As soon as the leader of the second large group left to check on the scene Hawke was now making just outside the hovel, he descended on his men, and took a certain amount of his raging emotions out on the last one, sending him bleeding and staggering to tell his master things had gone utterly wrong. Fenris had decided while his hand was somewhere in the tenth unfortunate soul’s chest that he would, indeed, reveal himself and what he needed help doing. He needed to get into Danarius’ hightown mansion and confront whoever was there, provided whatever documents he found with the hired help or the slaver captain confirmed what he and Anso both suspected here.

Impressions, he had to make an impression, he thought as he approached the corner where his latest victim was collapsing in a pool of his own wretched blood. He… Was good with impressions, he’d been told by many. Especially if it involved some level of intimidation and making it very clear that he was not some meat-headed grunt.

“Your men are dead and your trap has failed,” he said easily as he stepped over the still-wheezing body on the ground and stepped leisurely down the stairs to stand between Hawke and the slaver captain. He allowed his enemy a final word- a poor choice of “what”- and lit up like a lantern, removing his heart from his chest with practiced ease and detachment. He then turned to Hawke and his companions, relaxing somewhat when he saw wariness, but not outright fear or the gross interest that people back in Tevinter had always shown. Curiosity, but not…  _ that _ .

“My name is Fenris, if I had known Anso would find someone so… capable, I would have introduced myself sooner and… Taken a more active roll,” he introduced himself. This was the part he was not as good at. The talking, being social. He was definitely not a people person.

“My name is Hawke,” the man Anso had hired for him said with a wary, though friendly smile. “And you must be the… Clearly not a slave since… Yeah… That they were looking for… Yeah. Sorry, I’m usually better at this but you kinda just… Ripped a man’s beating heart clean out of his chest. Wow.”

Fenris snorted, what a turn of events. Hawke with all his smooth words with Anso was being more awkward than  _ Fenris _ , “that does… happen quite a lot, unfortunately.” He knelt down and pilfered the man’s orders from his pockets and flipped through them as he turned back to Hawke- he could not read, but these strangers did not need to know that. He would take them to Anso. “What did you find in the house?”

Hawke frowned and shook his head, “nothing, and we’re not terribly fond of being tricked.”

“My apologies. I sincerely thought there would be something there- otherwise I would not have… put others in danger,” he sighed heavily and turned away, tucking the papers in his belt pouches.

“What did you expect to be in there?” Hawke asked further, and it touched a nerve in the back of Fenris’ mind.

“It does not matter, it wasn’t there,” he said a bit more stern than he would have liked to for what he wanted to say next. “I… would ask for you further assistance. My master may be in his estate in Hightown, and I would not go to confront him there alone.”

“He tricks us and then asks for more help? Against a magister, I’m assuming?” one of Hawke’s companions, tall and blond and raggedy looking, “Hawke, I don’t know about you or the others, but this doesn’t look very good to me at all.”

Hawke studied Fenris, who tried his best to look earnest. He needed this help, he needed to be free and this man seemed trustworthy with the task. He could not afford to waste time looking for someone else to help. The taller man seemed to see something that decided for him, because he smiled an open and friendly smile, like they had known one another for months, and nodded, “we can help. Just have the when and where sent to…” he rooted around his person and used his leg to write down an address, pressing the scrap of parchment into the elf’s hand, “here. I’ll be sure to be there with help.”

“Hawke,” the blond man from before started, “he could betray us- this could be a trap.”

The scruffy man with his faded Ferelden accent shook his head, “that has yet to be seen, Anders. You don’t have to come along.”

That seemed to shut the man who reeked of Darktown up, and Fenris cleared his throat, “I’ll have the information sent to you as soon as possible. Thank you, Hawke.”

They parted ways, and Fenris made good on his word- now he could only hope this Hawke character would make good on his in return.


	2. Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris meets Hawke at Denarius' mansion. Inside, he discovers the man's sister is a mage, and struggles with the thought of having to work along side them both. He also dwells on the passing flirtation Hawke throws out at him, and how he feels about being treated like a person, and how to face someone who wears their heart on their sleeve like a void-taken fool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's only been a few days. And I gotta say that I will not update this often. or regularly. Because I'm in the middle of a really busy few weeks. But I figured I throw this out there since it was written and I was fixing the first chapter in saying it wasn't a one-shot... Heh. (Thank you for pointing that out I'm sorry.)
> 
> This one's a bit shorter, but only a little. I hope to write longer chapters consistently in the future, but that really depends on where it each should really just end.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

Hawke was true to his word. He showed up the following night, meeting Fenris just outside the mansion almost on the nose of the meeting time. He had a girl who looked quite a bit like himself, but younger, as well as a dwarf he recognised from the night before.

“Good, you came… No one has left the mansion, but I’ve heard nothing within. Danarius may know we’re here, I wouldn’t put it past him,” he greeted the other man, getting straight down to business, surveying the lack of a third person with Hawke. “Where is your blond friend?”

“Oh, Anders? He was still uneasy, so I left him behind. Unless you think I should go get someone to fill his spot..?” Hawke tipped his head to the side with a curious expression; so open and honest, Fenris was having a hard time picking up any kind of emotional guard on this man. Fool.

“No, we have wasted enough time. Let us go inside before my master had more time to prepare for our… arrival,” the elf shook his head and turned toward the door, he could scrutinize Hawke later… If he got the chance. They would have to make due with just the four of them if it came down to it- and he fully expected it to.

So he lead the way through the familiar estate, hollering after his master and breaking things in his wake. Not that the mansion wasn’t already a wreck and crawling with demons. Bodies littered the floor; some looters or would-be squatters, others clearly the magister’s sacrifices for summoning his fade-borne security system. Magic of a different sort licked at his brands, making the lyrium crawl in his skin and  setting his mind ill at ease. It was unfamiliar, the magic wasn’t tainted with the sticky-feeling power of blood magic like he had always felt back in the Imperium. That wasn’t nearly as comforting as it maybe could have been. It came from the girl, who Fenris assumed was Hawke’s sister, and she was skilled with it. And an apostate, dangerous and running about freely with her brother probably sheltering her from the Templars who could protect her from-

He did not have  _ time _ for these thoughts. When this was over, he could tell Hawke to take his mage sister and bugger off to leave Fenris to his life. For now, they searched for the key to Denarius’ study.

“Here it is!” The mage girl said proudly as she held up an elegant key, “I think so anyways. Looks like an important study key. Here you go, Fenris. We’ll be right behind you.” Her smile was warm and open like her brother’s, and it made his skin crawl that she looked so reassuring and he could not find any obvious deception in her face, body, tone, words,  _ anything _ .

He cursed under his breath and snatched the key away, rounding to backtrack to the foyer. “S’alright, Beth, this can’t be easy for him,” he heard Hawke murmur to the girl, who must look hurt by his mannerisms, as he blazed the trail to his long-awaited freedom.

Except it wasn’t  _ there _ .  _ Denarius _ wasn’t there. The study was devoid of life and they had to fight through more demons before he could get out and pace a rut outside the mansion while Hawke no-doubt looted the Void-taken place.

Except it took too long for the three people who’d helped him accomplish almost nothing that night to come out. More likely, they were giving him space to blow off steam or…  _ something _ . He could never hope to know with a blighted  _ mage _ involved.

“I saw her slinging  _ spells _ inside, you harbor a mage with you,” he said in greeting- again, straight to his point. He still hadn’t settled, he was still  _ upset _ .

Hawke moved to stand between him and his sister, eyebrows drawn in some odd emotion where concern met anger and warred in one’s mind for precedence. “I harbor my  _ sister _ , Bethany. If you have a problem with her, you have a problem with  _ me _ ,” Hawke challenged, and to his credit it was somewhat intimidating to have such a large man staring him down. “She is no magister or blood mage, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Fenris shook his head, “no, I… I apologize.” He could swallow his pride. He would need Hawke’s help in the future, Denarius would not give in, and he could well and truly put his hang ups aside in this case. Besides, Bethany had been kind, and open, and had done nothing to harm him or… anything. “I imagine I sound ungrateful, and that is farthest from the truth.” He fished in one of his pouches, he’d offered payment- all of his coin. He would make good on that promise, “all of the coin I have as the promised payment…”

Hawke took the coin, although a bit hesitantly. Because of the “all of my coin” part from the concerned crease in his brow, is Fenris had to guess. He seemed to think for a moment before sighing softly, “I… have an expedition coming up soon. We could use your skills in the Deep Roads, for a handsome payment.”

Fenris considered it, looking over all three of them- Hawke, Bethany, the dwarf- and sighed inwardly at the hopeful looks from the siblings and the closed-off expression the dwarf supplied him. As much as he would rather not be around a mage if he did not have to be, he had to remember that they would be valuable allies. Besides, he reminded his still-panicking mind as it reeled and threw off ten kinds of alarms over Bethany, the young woman had been kind and as open as her brother- had even looked  _ scared _ when he’d hissed and spat at what she was. Void take it all-  _ he could do this _ . If he was going to live his life, he needed to have the support of people like Hawke, and he needed to be able to encounter mages without immediately jumping to being so terrified he couldn’t think his way out of a wicker basket.

“Consider me interested,” he said with a small nod of his head, “if you should have need of me before then, however, I owe you much, and I will be here.” He gestured to the door of the wrecked estate, “should Denarius want his mansion back, he may come back and claim it. I will be waiting for him.”

Hawke looked surprised, but smiled, something coy to it as he looked over Fenris’ face, “seems like a waste of a perfectly handsome elf to me. But thank you, I may ask you to help me take care of things to raise money for the expedition”

Fenris stopped short-  _ what _ ? Handsome? He’d been called all manner of compliments before, but those were other people, and they had looked at his body, tattoos, had touched him and- Hawke had looked him in the eye after  _ all of that _ and still went and called him  _ handsome _ , none of the greed or hunger from those in the Imperium present. The elf chuckled awkwardly and coughed, rubbing at his neck, feeling his face heat up. That was new, being called attractive as a person, instead of an object. “Yes, well, ah- goodnight.”

They parted ways once more, and Fenris felt the anxiety grip his chest again when he want back inside the mansion, and he spent the night… Rearranging. It was morning by the time he’d tired himself out enough to sleep without waking up as soon as he began to nod off, thinking Denarius was there and help was too far to reach.

His mind pondered Hawke. The man was interested, but not… No. He didn’t know. This was new, unfamiliar, but not entirely unwelcome. He was a person to Hawke, and still he found Fenris desirable to have around, to flirt with properly. Even after being hostile to his sister, and raging about a wrecked mansion on a wild goose chase- after being behind a separate wild goose chase.

Void take him, what did Hawk  _ want _ ? What did he want? This was scary. He was scared. But maybe if it went too far too soon, Hawke with his heart on his sleeve would understand and listen when he said stop. He didn’t know. Fenris himself wasn’t interested. Intrigued, yes, and very confused, but he did not want… No. He was wary enough at the thought of being  _ friends _ , anything with more complex emotions would be foolish. Hawke may be a fool, but that did not mean Fenris had to be a fool with him. He would help with the expedition and see where it all went. He could _do_ that. He was a  _ person _ .


End file.
